


Trust In Family, Trust In Reality

by Bam4Me



Series: Learning to Live Again [1]
Category: Artemis Fowl
Genre: Ageplay, Character Study, Everyone is happy though, Gen, artemis is a little different though, but it will have actual ageplay in the next fic in the series, character interflection, do not read this just to scoff at it, i actually liked the ending of that book idk what everyone elses issue was, illusions to ageplay, im actually trying here, just kind of working up to it now, mostly just more childish, please, post guardian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-03
Updated: 2015-06-03
Packaged: 2018-04-02 15:44:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4065529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bam4Me/pseuds/Bam4Me
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Artemis never thought coming back to life would be so confusing. He'd felt like he was flailing just trying to walk a straight line right now, sometimes it's like his brain started shouting that nothing was real.</p><p>Butler and Angeline have a solution to help out, but Artemis is more than reluctant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trust In Family, Trust In Reality

**Author's Note:**

> Come see me at gatersgonewild.tumblr.com

Butler couldn't even begin to put into words about how relived he was to have Artemis back.

But, no matter how relived he was, no matter how relives Angeline and Artemis Fowl Senior and even the twins were, that didn't mean that Artemis being back didn't come without repercussions.

Like, for one, Artemis didn't go wandering the gardens out back anymore, mostly so no workers ended up seeing him and crying ghost, which would probably be mostly ignored, like how people that saw fairies were mostly ignored, but there was always the issue of people still shouting it anyways.

Although, the house was big, and Artemis wandered it often, usually stopping at the vast windows and just staring out. Butler knew that the teen missed the sunshine, so he made an effort to take Artemis up to the roof a lot, and wander the fields with him at night, when darkness provided a good enough to cover and the farmers had gone home.

Artemis was fascinated by this new world.

He would watch them till and plant the Earth in the land that had once been his home to play in while Butler watched. But now, it provided nourishment for thousands. Artemis liked the development to be honest. He was tired of doing bad things, of hurting this world, of doing something that could result in another person's life being at stake.

Butler followed him like a hawk for the most part, almost as if he's afraid to let his charge out of his sight for a minute, lest he disappear once more. Sometimes though, he'd go to make lunch, or get distracted by the twins needing to be separated lest one of them throws a temper tantrum, and when he'd come back, he'd find Artemis curled up in one of the second story bay windows overlooking the fields in the back, dead asleep and basking in the sun like a contented cat. (Also, he seems to have retained his odd ability for purring, which has ignited many a conversation between the three brothers leading to Beckett thinking Artemis swallowed a cat, and Myles thinking he is a cat, which is a precious thing to see.) Sometimes, Butler wondered if Artemis was different, or if he just finally felt content enough to settle down and let go.

Artemis was still his old smart self. Once he got his memories back, he was sharp as a tack, getting right on back to projects with Foaly about saving the world and being a genius. But, that doesn't mean he didn't get confused now and then. Sometimes, Butler would find him standing in the middle of a room with a look on his face, so lost, it makes Butler's heart ache.

It was all the bodyguard (whose duties now days more focused on babysitting Artemis, Beckett and Myles with Juliet, and cooking, and occasionally playing peacemaker between all three boys) could do, not to just scoop the teenager up into his arms and tell him that everything was going to be okay.

Until one day, his overtired mind finding Artemis looking lost in the doorway to his bedroom, lead him to do just that. After that time, he'd found out, whatever made Artemis act so out of character now days, it really didn't mind being coddled in the slightest.

Artemis still loves his science, and could often be found in his lab, (usually working with Myles, because family was actually a thing that Artemis treasured very much now days) or just working on a tablet while he lounged in the much needed sunlight in a window. 

Butler couldn't bring himself to worry about any of this, because no matter what Artemis did, even while out of character, it was still so obviously him, and still so obviously alive and happy, Butler could only send his praises that Artemis was once more, back at his side and alive.

***

Artemis scowled down at his bandaged foot in Butler's lap. He'd just gotten that dreaded sixth tow removed, but it still throbbed like crazy. Normally, such a boring abnormality wouldn't have bothered him, but he kept banging the thing on passing furniture, and Artemis already had bad enough balance as it is, and didn't need to add 'trips to the left because of foot deformity' to the list.

Though, the throbbing was probably a phantom pain, because he'd been kind of stupid and decided to watch the medi-warlock slice the thing off before reforming the bone structure and sealing it all up, which had been just as gross as you think it might be, and Artemis didn't exactly want to look at it right now.

So, when he'd gotten home, he decided to indulge his little brother's wishes and let them wrap his foot up in bandages and give him room to ignore it for the rest of the day.

Artemis used his other foot to subtly (really, it wasn't so subtle, Artemis is clumsy enough to embarrass a four year old, and that is a trait that definitely bled through) pull the bottom of his sweats down to cover the foot more, making Butler give him a raised eyebrow. Artemis reddened a little and shrugged.

"It feels... weird."

He really was trying right now. His mother was trying to get an annoying teenage son, and his father was encouraging him to do whatever his heart desired while finally being out from under the media's thumb (like, that stopped him before) and the twins were counting on him to be the world’s best big brother ever. He's trying so hard for them all.

He's wearing sweat pants outside of working out (though, to be honest, he didn't feel good right now and didn't feel like wearing anything with any sort of restricting movement to it) and he even had a tee shirt that labeled him as a 'stud muffin' (with a picture of a muffin on it, because his mother is weird) and laying down on a couch with his feet in another person's lap while he worked on his tablet.

"I could help if you want?"

Artemis reddened further, knowing what Butler was thinking.

When he had been a child, Butler was his everything (a tiny voice in his head yelled that he was more his parent than his parents were, and it sounded a lot like Orion, so Artemis tried to ignore it.) He was there, day and night, cooked his meals for him, bathed him, taught him, tried to teach him self-defense (which was a lot easier now days, when Artemis was actually willing to learn) and did just about everything a caregiver should do for his charge.

Like he said, Butler bathed him, and Artemis was a very picky baby. The bath had to have bubbles, and it usually went easier if Butler gave him bath crayons, which the child would use to write equations on the walls and sometimes draw pictures of his family, if he was being generous. But then, out of the bath, and came the most intense drying ritual ever, that usually left even little Artemis giggling at the rough treatment and tickly hands.

Then, is when things got really picky. Artemis always got his entire body moisturized (not because he wanted it, for the most part, the baby would try and wriggle out of Butler's hands while the bodyguard kept a hold of him, but Artemis had really dry skin and would itch till he bled if he wasn't taken care of) and that included those tiny little feet, always clean and tiny in Butler's giant hands.

Artemis may not have been the thing that taught Butler that a gentle touch was nice, but he was the one that taught him just how intimate it could be.

Sometimes he felt bad for the Fowl parents who didn't partake in this ritual with Artemis, because he knows that he's bonded with the child in those moments, more than Artemis had ever bonded with his parents while talking to them at the dinner table.

Butler knew one thing and one thing alone about Artemis that would be universal no matter what universe.

He loved foot rubs.

And, it wasn't just foot rubs though, because Artemis has been to masseurs before, but no one could give him that boneless 'I-am-goo-now' look about him that Butler could get out of him (and now days, usually accompanied with his 'so-content-nap-time-now' purr that usually made Beckett try and curl up on him to join him in slumberland) and Butler had covertly done some tests of his own.

Artemis loved Butler's foot rubs, because his hands are huge. Artemis has tiny feet (obviously not as small as fairy feet, but still small for a human male) and Butler's palm is easily the same size as Artemis's foot is long, and when Butler did it, it turned the genius into a blubbering pile of mush that was easily malleable by just about anyone.

Artemis turned away from Butler, face still bright red while he used his 'unharmed' foot to poke at Butler's side, the foot resting flat against the hard sides of the man and leaving the wrapped one sitting in his lap. He didn't say anything though, closing the apps on his tablet and shutting it down while Butler picked up the delicate foot in his hand. Normally, he would try and act like he wasn't paying attention while Butler helped him with something, but he knew what foot rubs did to him, and the tablet would be down soon anyways.

He didn't remember much more that afternoon, other than purring up a storm while Butler worked his magic (and he thinks Myles and Beckett might have joined him on the couch at some point, but he was pretty far out of it at that point) before he woke up later that night, in his own bed, trying to blink the remains of a horrifying dream where he was still stuck as a soul watching others while he slowly lost his mind from grief and sitting up in bed.

He looked at a clock, seeing that it was well past time for him to not need any more sleep (assuming he fell asleep around seven yesterday, and it's already four in the morning now,) and deciding to get up and dressed for the day.

Not like he needs any more sleep.

***

Holly and Foaly visited often, but even more often (mostly, because it was one of the few times that Artemis actually got to talk to people outside the manor anymore) Artemis and Butler took trips down to see the renovations on Haven coming along.

It was actually going pretty fast, and Butler was elated that he no long had to duck in most buildings they went into anymore. In fact, he'd yet to find a place where he did.

"You two should just move down here. Not like you do anything on the surface anymore."

Artemis frowned at Mulch, trying to figure out if the dwarf was kidding or not, but decided to shrug it off. "I like being on the surface. It's home."

Artemis frowned when his voice took on an odd tilt to it, trying not to think about that too much. He's been doing that a lot. The trying-not-to-think thing, not the voice thing.

Mulch shrugged at him, shoving a sim-ham down his gullet rather impressively. Artemis made a slightly grossed out face, but he's seen the dwarf do worse, so he wasn't too freaked out.

Butler came over to the 'outdoor' table and put down a tray that looked ridiculously tiny in his hands on the table, handing Artemis a sandwich and a sim-smoothie, one of the few drinks that he could stomach because of the weird flavor most of them left in his mouth. He could drink the sim-coffee just fine, but Butler was on this new craze where he was trying to get Artemis to sleep more, and caffeine was a no-go after two in the afternoon.

Artemis wanted to argue that the shuttle ride to the surface would wake him up later anyways, because they always did, but he knew Butler would just argue that he'd eventually crash from the adrenaline later anyways and caffeine would just wake him up more.

This was a standing argument, and one that Artemis always lost, because his parents were in Butler's favor for it. Artemis had nearly gone so far as to take a page out of Orion's book and stomp his foot in frustration at the outcome, but just barely held back, knowing that all it would do is make him look tired and petulant.

Artemis sighed and ate without a fuss, something that even Butler was hardly getting used to unless it was his cooking.

Artemis listened to Mulch and Butler banter about Mulch's award and quietly wondered to himself if Mulch was trying to turn over an new leaf and be a good citizen, before stomping that thought down when he started excitedly talking about a new movie star he wanted to get the drop on.

Everything was slowly returning back to normal.

***

Okay, everything was not fully back to normal, in fact, Artemis was just fooling himself.

He couldn't go outside except for the roof, or at night.

He couldn't stand foods that weren't bland, because this tongue's palate was very uncultured. It was only good that Butler made all his meals for him, because he could hardly stand anything more spicy than pepper, or more flavorful than a sandwich.

He couldn't listen to online lectures or even use his computer for more than an hour at a time, because the noise and light gave him migraines and left him napping at all odd hours of the day and night.

He could barely stand raised voices enough to have a conversation with Mulch, and even then it was obvious that Mulch was honestly trying to tone it down for him.

He felt like everyone was treating him like a sullen infant, afraid to draw attention to themselves lest he be in a bad mood and feel like taking it out on them.

That's another thing. It's not like Artemis used to snap at people a lot, but now, it's like even the thought of raising his voice at anyone gave him a preemptive pang of guilt throbbing in his chest.

The few times he didn't actually get that was when he'd admonished Myles or Beckett for being reckless to the point when they'd nearly gotten hurt.

He almost felt a sense of knowing on why Minerva babied her little brother so much. He felt the urge to coddle the five year olds and play games with them all the time now.

Though, one thing was certain of all. Artemis startled easier than ever now.

Butler thinks it might be his sensitivity to sound in his new body, along with a fragility that only comes with abuse, something that thought Artemis himself hadn't been through, his soul did carry a muscle memory of the abuse his body and mind had been through with all their schemes and saving the world so many times in the past. Butler is also kind of worried that Artemis was getting skittish from not interacting with others (in a place other than the internet or New Haven or sometimes when they went out of the country and Artemis took another name.) But, he still didn't interact with others nearly as much as he used to.

It's why Butler had been the first to move when he'd heard Artemis book it out of the room as fast as he could when his parents had first started arguing.

It wasn't even a big argument, a petty one, really, but it'd been loud, and Artemis had been more than startled by it, his breath picking up immediately as he tried to ward off a panic attack that he knew was coming.

Butler was out in the hall after him as soon as he realized the boy had retreated, just catching the tail end of him turning the corner to the hallway their bedrooms were on.

When he got in, he didn't see Artemis right away, but followed his ears to the heavy breathing coming from the other side of Artemis' bed. Artemis was curled up in a little ball, half the bed's covers on the floor with him while he tried to get a hold of his breathing.

Butler crouched down in front of him, moving the covers just enough to see panicked blue eyes looking at him around the soft black comforter.

When Angeline and Artemis Senior caught up with them, looking guilty and worried, Artemis was still curled up in the blankets, but this time in Butler's lap while the bodyguard rubbed his back through the material, letting Artemis' breaths match his as the teen calmed down.

That was the last time Angeline and Artemis Senior ever fought in front of any of their children.

***

Holly smiled as she watched Artemis de-bug his brother's hair in his lab. Why were Beckett and Myles covered in bugs?

They won't tell anyone, and Artemis is just on the edge of not wanting to know.

At least they were smart enough to not try and de-bug each other this time, but that was probably because Myles wanted these bugs for experiments, and knew that Beckett would just eat them if given half a chance.

Which is why Beckett went first (to avoid any major bug eating) and was currently in the process of trying to squirm out of Artemis' hold (which was not actually Artemis' hold, because Beckett is about five times as coorordinated as Artemis is, and could have easily gotten out, and so he was actually strapped into a Beckett safe chair that was holding him instead) so he could continue on his merry bug-eating way.

Holly just grinned as she watched it. Artemis was dressed as ever the scientist while he worked, lab coat (so he didn't get any bugs on him) goggles, (so none of them tried to blind him) tools, (because he didn't want to actually touch any of them to be honest) and it was very amusing. Mostly, because Myles was dressed exactly the same way, while the other child tried to de-bug his own head. It was cute.

Artemis finally declared Beckett bug free and let him out of the blasted holdings, not even giving a blink of surprised when Beckett pulled a bug out of somewhere and took a bite out of it. Artemis must have been expecting that. He just gave the child an amused look and went to de-bug his other brother.

He looked back at his other brother, seeing something jump from his head, and gave an almost exaggerated shudder. Artemis didn't do things like that on purpose, so Holly assumed it must have been a cricket and decided to join the hunt for the run away buggie so Artemis wouldn't have to touch it.

You know, things may have slowed down for the group, but, Holly couldn't really say it was boring, even if it was a mundane sort of entertainment.

***

Artemis slowly lowered his face into his open palm, looking so completely done with everything right now. He sighed a little, saying something that he never thought he'd say (mostly out of disgust for his fellow teenagers, deciding that he would do his best not to be like them) to Butler.

"I'm so bored, I think I feel my brain rotting from disuse."

Butler didn't even look up from where he was reading, just smiling in amusement.

Artemis was currently grounded. Why was the teenage genius grounded? Well, because he can't be trusted in the slightest.

Thing is, Artemis had started having eye pains last week.

Okay, so, Artemis' body is basically like an infant’s body, just a hell of a lot older. He'd had such a short incubation period, and he wasn't even a year old yet again technically, so that kind of made some things work like new.

Like, how his corneas were not ready for hours and hours staring at a tablet like he used to, leading to an acute pain in his eyes after so much use.

The doctors suggestion for this? Not using them so much, of course.

Which had lead to a limit of two hours a day on tablets or computers, and also an almost complete lockdown on his lab because the lights were too bright, and when Artemis is not in anyone's immediate vicinity, he could not be trusted.

Which, of course, had lead to a legitimate temper tantrum this side of the world had not yet seen since the royal family had to entertain Russian delegates and two of the children had gotten into a very public fight over a tinker toy of all things.

Artemis had sulked in his room for nearly three hours (the maximum his intellect would allow before he tried to circumvent multiple things to get his way) after the incident, making Butler and the other Fowl's wonder if coming back to life had somehow made the teenager younger in mind, but was written off, as depressing and a situation that no one wanted to talk about.

Angeline was actually the main enforcer of this grounding though. All she had had to do was express her sadness in Artemis getting hurt, and it had shut the genius up like a clam, stopping any well formed argument before the boy could get them out.

Mama's boy, through and through.

He had expressed many times, just how bored he was right now, and a million different ways he could make his eyes stop hurting and even a new tablet design where the interface wouldn't hurt his eyes at all, and most of these were ignored, because he needed to use things that hurt his eyes to make them at all. Artemis was so bored, only getting two hours a day to work on projects and one could only go so far with paper and pencil, and there were only so many things in the house he could blow up in frustration without getting in trouble.

He's bored, and very close to throwing another temper tantrum, and he's never been this bored before in his life, he's this close to actually playing games, and he's read every book in the library, and Myles won't let him cheat and use his lab, and Beckett is actually getting bored of him doing live trials with him for things, and he wants to yell and scream and do something destructive right now.

Is this what causes violence? Boredom?

Artemis felt a short moment of interest at the idea of doing trial tests for this, before throwing out the idea when it became apparent he would have to be bored to try them. That's not fun at all.

Butler lowered the paper with a sigh, "You know, you could ask Myles and Beckett if they'll give you their leggos. Beckett isn't allowed to use them anymore, and Myles is designing better ones. Or you could help him design the better ones."

Artemis furrowed his brows, "Why would I want to use leggos?"

Butler shrugged, "Maybe because you could use them for trial designs, or something. I don't know, you never liked them when you were little, but they're actually pretty impressive now days."

Artemis let out a small sigh, wondering if he really wanted to do that. Maybe helping Myles would at least relive some boredom. He raised an eyebrow and tucked his arms under his chin. "Why isn't Beckett allowed to use leggos anymore?"

"He tried feeding them to your hamster."

Artemis snorted, "Poor Ramses. Beckett is always torturing him."

Butler smiled, "Yeah. You know, you could try playing with one of your many pets. They do miss you."

Artemis gave Butler an unimpressed look, "No, I'm pretty sure they don't. When I finally saw her again, Mittens actually gave me a look of fear."

Butler snorted and went back to the paper, "That's because she's old enough to know who in this house uses her for trial experiments the most. You."

Artemis sighed and slid off the chair, stumbling a little as he tried to be elegant about it for once. It did not work. "I'm going to go help Myles. At least he appreciates how awful being bored is."

***

"No."

Artemis visibly held himself back from pouting. "But Myles-"

"No. Mama said you're grounded."

Artemis scowled, "Grounded from anything that could give me a headache. Not from doing experiments."

Myles gave his simple-toon big brother a patient look, "No, Arty, Mama said you shouldn't do science things while you feel icky."

Artemis gave him a confused look, wondering with their mother had said that one. "Are you certain of that?"

Myles nodded. "Yes. Also, you're distracting me right now. You can take the leggos, but no helping."

Artemis gave his brother a narrow eyed look. "Okay."

When Artemis was out the door finally, Myles gave a quick check to see that he wasn't there and went back to his notes.

Boredom Reaction Test

Subject: Artemis Fowl II

Notes: Subject seems to be desperate for mental stimulation. I have had to rebuff multiple asks to join me despite being in need of assistance, for the sake of not ruining the experiment. He seems to be catching on. More information is needed.

***

"I have no idea how to use these."

Butler sighed, putting his phone away so he could join his principal on the floor. "They're leggos. You stick them together and make things."

Artemis sighed (a thing that has been happening a lot lately) and leaned back against the couch. "They're for children."

Butler thought about that for a moment, "You know, you kind of are a child now. I mean, you're less than a year old."

Artemis paused for a moment, thinking that over, "So, childish expressions of delight and wishes would not be remiss. Interesting."

Butler gave him a wary look, not liking where this was going. "Oh? What ideas does that give you?"

Artemis smiled sweetly, picking up the box of leggos and dumping them out, going right into building something. "Nothing, dear Butler, just thinking."

"You're never not thinking."

"Then, nothing is out of the ordinary, is it?"

Butler just sighed, watching Artemis build a scale model on the great pyramid of Geisa. The inside of it.

***

"I want to go somewhere."

"Where."

Artemis made a noise slightly like a tea kettle, hair being pushed off his forehead by the huff, "Somewhere not here."

The sentence was blunt and vague all at once. It made Butler want to laugh. Artemis was never so crass in his words before. But he was held back from laughing at the remembrance that Artemis was rather muddled now days too. He might not actually have a place in mind, he might just want to get out and go somewhere else.

"Okay. What about tonight, we can take a flight out of the country, see what's happening in America?"

Artemis wrinkled his nose, "If I wanted to walk into chaos, I would tell Myles he would never be as smart as me. That would have just about the same effect. And maybe a less violent one too."

It was true though. America was broken before the explosions had happened, now they were just full of violence and blood lust. It was kind of painful to watch.

Of course, there was a lot of peace, but none of it was in cities, densely populated areas had fallen into chaos, while their military tried to control them with the little weapons they still had, and chaos was the only thing left.

"We could go to the mountains. I hear Colorado and Nevada are fairly peaceful."

Artemis snorted, "Yes, so is Washington. Want to guess why?"

Butler shook his head in amusement, "Well, if you're referring to those being the only two places in the country with legalized marijuana, you could be right, but overall, no one if following rules over there, I doubt the law is stopping any of them."

"And you want me to walk into what may very well be a warzone right now?"

Butler shook his head, "No, just thought a bit of actual conversation with you might at least ease the boredom. Helping any?"

Artemis smiled, "No, not now that I know. But thank you."

Butler nodded, "How about this weekend, we go out to the city. You could dress like any other child, and even talk to people as long as you don't let on who you are."

Artemis shrugged with a sigh, "I guess that would be better than this."

***

“It’s a park.”

There weren’t many parks now days. A lot of them had been torn up and made into public gardens, but there were still some out there, usually teaming with small children and germs.

Artemis never liked the park.

“Yes, and I expect you to do something other than just stand there and look horrified.”

Artemis was quiet for a minute, “What about angry? I can try angry?”

Butler shook his head, “No, how about you try playing.”

Artemis gave Butler what could only be called a betrayed look. “I don’t know why you and Mother keep doing that.”

Butler’s breath caught for a moment. Artemis looked like he might honestly cry. “Doing what?”

Artemis made a choked off noise, sounding pained, “Infantilizing me for one! I’m not some child, and I’m not the stupid baby you think I am!”

Butler’s eyes went wide, “Arty, we’re not babying you because we think you’re stupid, and we’re not technically babying you at all really.”

“Then what would you call this? I call it babying.”

“I call it helping. You’re not stupid, and you’re not a child. But you never were.”

Artemis frowned, “What does that have to do with anything?”

Butler was the one making the desperate noise now. “You can’t just expect to get better when you have nothing to build on!”

“Build on?”

“You had no childhood, in this life or the last, your mother and I just want to see you smile again, Arty. You look around sometimes like you don’t know how you got here, like reality confuses you.”

“I still have no idea why you would treat me like a child though.” It was a lie and they both knew it. Artemis wasn’t stupid enough to not know the psychology of it.

Butler took a deep breath, despairing at the wet tears he watched well up in those familiar and strange blue eyes. “Babies don’t understand reality either. You’re brand new, it makes sense that it confuses you still. Regression is the easiest, simplest and most repairing mental exercise to fix that. I just can’t stand to look at you and see you look lost.”

Artemis clenched his jaw, “Then don’t look.”

Butler reached over the center console and wrapped one big hand around Artemis’ tiny fingers. Artemis had always been so small against him, but he’d never felt so vulnerable though. “Is that why you won’t let us help you? You’re afraid I’ll leave?”

Artemis wiped angrily at the wetness, looking annoyed, “Why would you even stay? I mean, it’s not like I need a bodyguard anymore. I don’t do anything, I don’t go-“

“I don’t care if you need a bodyguard or not, Arty. You need me and I need you now. I was there the day you were born. I took care of you at your smallest, and I took care of you at your rudest. I never left any of those times, did I?”

Artemis shook his head, turning his palm upwards so he could wrap around two of Butler’s big fingers. “You’re still here.”

Butler swallowed, “I hate to say it, because your parents are honestly good people… well, nowadays, but I was there when they weren’t. I’m not trying to say that I’m more important than them, but I am saying that I was there when you were sick. I was there when you threw fits as a child. I was there to do the most mundane of things with you. I no longer know how not to take care of you, and I’m not sure I want to try. My last attempt was pretty pathetic.”

Artemis finally cracked a smile, hand tightening around Butler’s fingers. “You know, I’m not sure I ever could let my parents take care of me. I could probably let you, but not anyone else. It wouldn’t be right.”

Butler nodded, “Good. Then we’ll try that. You just try your best, and I’ll try and give you the childhood you never had the first time around.”

Artemis nodded after a minute, looking tired.

It wasn’t often he actually willingly talked about feelings, and now he was worn out.

Maybe this wouldn’t be too bad.

**Author's Note:**

> Come see me at gatersgonewild.tumblr.com


End file.
